Born in Edgefield District,
South Carolina, January 8, 1821, the son of a farmer, Longstreet spent his
early years in Augusta, Georgia. On the death of his father he went with
his mother to Somerville, Alabama. Corps commander James Longstreet made
three mistakes that have denied him his deserved place in Southern posterity: He argued
with Lee at Gettysburg, he was right, and he became a Republican. He entered West Point from Alabama, graduated in 1842, and was wounded at Chapultepec in
Mexico. With two brevets and the staff rank of major he resigned his commission on June 1,
1861, and joined the Confederacy.
His assignments included: brigadier general, CSA
June 17, 1861); commanding brigade (in 1st Corps after July 20), Army of the Potomac July
2 - October 7, 186 1); major general, CSA (October 7, 1861); commanding division, Ist
Corps, Army of the Potomac (October 14-22, 1861); commanding division (in Potomac District
until March 1862), Department of Northern Virginia (October 22, 1861 - July 1862);
commanding lst Corps, Army of Northern Virginia July 1862 - February 25, 1863; May -
September 9, 1863; April 12 - May 6, 1864; and October 19, 1864-April 9, 1865); lieutenant
general, CSA (October 9, 1862); commanding Department of Virginia and North Carolina
(February 25-May 1863); commanding his corps, Army of Tennessee (September 19-November 5,
1863); and commanding Department of East Tennessee (November 5, 1863-April 12, 1864).
Commanding a brigade, he fought at Blackburn's
Ford and lst Bull Run before moving up to divisional leadership for the Peninsula
Campaign. There he saw further action at Yorktown, Williamsburg, Seven Pines, and the
Seven Days. In the final days of the latter he also directed A.P. Hill's men. Commanding
what was variously styled a "wing," "command," or "corps,"
the latter not being legally recognized until October 1862, he proved to be a capable
subordinate to Lee at 2nd Bull Run, where he delivered a crushing attack, South Mountain,
Antietam, and Fredericksburg.
By now promoted to be the Confederacy's senior
lieutenant general, he led an independent expedition into southeastern Virginia where he
displayed a lack of ability on his own. Rejoining Lee, he opposed attacking at Gettysburg
in favor of maneuvering Meade out of his position. Longstreet, who had come to believe in
the strategic offense and the tactical defense, was proven right when the Confederate
attacks on the second and third days were repulsed. Detached to reinforce Bragg in
Georgia, he commanded a wing of the army on the second day at Chickamauga. In the dispute
over the follow-up of the victory he was critical of Bragg and was soon detached to
operate in East Tennessee. Here again he showed an incapacity for independent operations,
especially in the siege of Knoxville. Rejoining Lee at the Wilderness, he was severely
wounded, in the confusion, by Confederate troops. He resumed command in October during the
Petersburg operations and commanded on the north side of the James. Lee's "Old War
Horse" remained with his chief through the surrender at Appomattox.
After the war he befriended Grant and became a
Republican. He served as Grant's minister to Turkey. He also served as commissioner of
Pacific Railroads under Mckinley and Roosevelt, from 1897 to 1904. Criticized by many
former Confederates, he struck back with his book, From Manassas to Appomattox. He
outlived most of his high-ranking postwar detractors. He died at Gainsville, Georgia, on
January 2, 1904, the last of the high command of the Confederacy. He is buried in
Gainsville.Source: "Who Was Who In The Civil War" by Stewart Sifakis